Friction device.



L. WHITOOMB.

FRICTION DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26, 1908.

1,081 ,999. Patented Ded. 23, 1913.

Yfil II III III LAWRENCE WHITCOMIB, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO- THE CORK INSERT COMPANY, OF 'IBOSTON,

MASSACHUSETTS.

specification of Letters fatent.

MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF FRICTION DEVICE.

Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

Application filed December 26', 1908. Serial N9. 469,364.

all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Law-xenon a citire-rr of the United States,

lVHrrcoMn, residing in Brooklinie, county of Norfolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Friction Devices, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification,

' like letters on 'the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a friction device and is herein shown as embodied in a brake 'band or strap especially adapted among other uses, to be employed on automobiles and like vehicles.

The present invention has for its ob ect to provide a simple and eflicient brake 0rfricti'on device, in'which aband, strap or member of flexible non-metallic material is provided with preferably a' plurality of pieces or inserts of cork, which are attached to the said band or strap by retaining devices, as-will be described. These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification. r c

Figure l isa side elevation of a brake band embodying this invention. Figs. 2 and 3, details in developed form to be referred to. Fig. 4, a side elevation of amodified form of brake band. Fig. 5, an enlarged section on the line-55, Fig. 1. Fig. 6, an eniggged section on the line 6-6, Fig. 4'. band stripor member of flexible non-metallic material, such as canvas, woven fabric, leather or the like, which is rovided witha series of holes or openings i drmed in it for the reception of. rings, eyelets or gromets b, which serve as retaining or holding devices for pieces ,os inserts a of cork, which are forced in a compressed state into said eyelets and are retained therein by the expansion said sur member-b of the cork. The cork inserts omay be substantiallyflush with the surface of the band or member a, which is adjacent. to the part to be en aged, or they may project beyond ace as represented in Figs. 1', 4, 5 and 6. The fibrous member or strip a may be reinforced, if desired, by a backing Strip I e of thimmetal, diich as sheet iron, tin, brass, 'zinc, etc, which is secured toflthe' fibrous the eyelets (see Fig. 5), and the reinforce fibrousmember may then be secured by rivets f or in any other suitable errin to the drawin a re resents a .vided with a loop 11. at one end and with a threaded rod 2' at the other. In some instances, it may be preferred to employ the metal backing strip e and the band g, but it is not desired to limit the invention in this respect, as said band may be omitted and the strip 0 may be provided with the loop is and threaded rod .z' or other forms of attach--' ments, assho'wn in Fig. 4. So also it may be desirable to employ an eyelet or gromet composed of two parts or members 10, 12, as shown in Fig. 6, wherein the part'12 is, provided with a flange or head which engages one surface of the fabric around the opening therein, and has its shank or tubular portion inserted through the opening and expanded to engage the member 10, which engages the other surface of the fabric around the said opening, the expansion of the tubular shank portion serving to firmly clamp the member 10 to the '.fabric and'to compress -the latter about the opening therein. I When the metal backing strip 6 is employed, the eyelet composed of a single member is used, as the rear end'of the same may be expanded over the backing strip which is provided with holes of openings for this purpose, as shown in Fig. 5 and which forms a second member common to a-plurality of the eyelets.

In the present invention, the metal eyelets serve a double'purpose, that is, they serve to strengthenthe fibrous member and prevent the destruction or weakening of the same by the formation oi the holesthe'rein, and they also afiord firm walls for the corks to expand against and thereby be retained in the fibrous member.

I. have herein represented the invention as embodied in an external brake band, but I do. not desire to limit the invention in this Isect. 2*

L have herein describedthezband or flexible member'ascomposed of non-metallic or fibrous material, and while I may prefer such a band or flexible meinber, I do not desire to limit my invention in this respect, as the flexible member may be made of woven wire in whole or in part, which can a be used as the flexible member because of the double function offthe eyelets above noted.

By reference to the, drawing, it will be observed that the eyelets or gromets are made I .of substantially the thickness of the flexible band or membera, and have their ends over-' lapping the walls of the openings through of the sai counteract the weakening of the fabric by the formation .of the holes therein.

1. A friction device comprisin a flexible member of non-metallic materia provided with, holes or openings, eyelets comprising members, one member havinga flange to engage one surface of the flexiblemember flexible member and secured thereto by the 1 expansion of the tubular shanksof the first-- mentioned members, substantially as described.

member provided 'with holes or openings,

eyelets comprising members coiiperatmg with said flexible member, one ofsaid mem bers havin a flange. to engage one surface so flexible member and a tubular shank extended through one 'of the Holes in the said flexible member and expanded at its end, and a second member'engaged b the expanded end of the said tubular shan 40 to compress the second member a ainst the 4 other surface of the flexible mem er about 4 the openin therein, and cork inserts in said eyelets an retained therein by the-e ansion of the cork, substantially as describedrie In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses,

, -'LAWRENCE WHITCOMB. 4

and a tubular-shank, and a second member Witnesses:- common to a plurality of eyelets and hav' J AS. H. CHURCHILL, holes which register with the holes in s a id Mu1 2PHY.

u P35; l

l 30 2. A friction device comprising a flexible v 

